Carter and Sears each score 18 second-half points, LSU beats Alabama State 74-61

BATON ROUGE, La. — Cam Carter and Jordan Sears each scored 18 second-half points Sunday and LSU used a 34-11 second-half run to erase a double-double deficit and beat Alabama State 74-61.

Carter, a Kansas State transfer, made 4 of 5 from 3-point range and finished with 21 points. Sears, who was scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting in the first half, made 9 of 11 from the free-throw line and finished with five assists and two steals. Richmond transfer Dji Bailey added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists for LSU (2-0).

Antonio ‘TJ’ Madlock scored 21 points, Amarr Knox added 20 and CJ Hines finished with 13 points for Alabama State (0-2). The Hornets outrebounded LSU 24-15 and outscored the Tigers 16-8 in the paint before intermission.

LSU, which made just 8 of 25 (32%) from the field, 3 of 13 (23%) from 3-point range and 7 of 14 from the free-throw line in the first half and went into the break trailing 32-26, made 11 of 15 from the field to close the game.

Sears scored 15 points and Carter added 11 in the final 12-plus minutes as the Tigers turned a 10-point deficit into a 72-59 lead when Carter hit a 3-pointer with 1:22 to play.

Daimion Collins threw down a dunk and then a steal by Sears led to a fast-break basket by Robert Miller III to cap a 9-0 run that gave LSU a one-point lead with 13:16 to play. Madlock answered 20 seconds later with a layup and added five more points in a 14-3 spurt that gave Alabama State a 10-point lead with 12:30 to play.

The Tigers beat Alabama State in the only other meeting between the programs 74-56 last season. The Hornets led at halftime in that game as well.